If you live in the Comox Valley, you are never far from a public library. Vancouver Island Regional Library runs three branches here — in downtown Courtenay, in Comox and in Cumberland — and each one is a warm, practical place to spend a wet afternoon, pick up a hold, or sit a child down for storytime.
The Courtenay branch, at 300 Sixth Street, is the largest. VIRL describes it as a popular stop for visitors and residents alike, with wood-beam construction that long-time locals will compare to the Creamery building that once stood on the site. Inside there is a reading lounge with a fireplace, a seed library, twelve public computers, free Wi-Fi, a meeting room, a microfilm reader, and programs for children, teens and adults, including Grab & Go themed book bunches chosen by librarians. Regular hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. A current notice on the branch page says the Courtenay phones are unavailable; until that is fixed, VIRL asks people to email courtenay@virl.bc.ca or come in. The usual number is 250-334-3369.
The Comox branch is at 101-1720 Beaufort Avenue, 250-339-2971, comox@virl.bc.ca. It is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, and closed Sunday. In the village, the Cumberland branch is at 2746 Dunsmuir Avenue, a few doors from the brewery, at 250-336-8121, cumberland@virl.bc.ca. It is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, and closed Monday and Sunday.
All three branches are on the unceded traditional territory of the K’ómoks First Nation, as VIRL notes on the Courtenay page. Hours can change on statutory holidays, so it is worth checking the branch page before a holiday weekend. A library card from any VIRL branch works across the system.
Good to know
- Courtenay: 300 Sixth Street. Open seven days; 10 a.m.–6 p.m. most days, until 7 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday. Email courtenay@virl.bc.ca while the phones are down.
- Comox: 101-1720 Beaufort Avenue. Closed Sunday.
- Cumberland: 2746 Dunsmuir Avenue. Closed Monday and Sunday.
- Program calendars and holiday hours: virl.bc.ca.
Image: Screenshot of the Vancouver Island Regional Library Courtenay branch page.
Photo: Vancouver Island Regional Library, Screenshot of official source page, via source.
